Letter: Where your taxes are going

Dec. 15, 2018

To the Editor:

Tax alert for municipal residents of McHenry Township. Did you know that every year you are about a $3 million property tax cash cow for the McHenry Township Road District? There are nine municipal governments in McHenry Township. Municipal residents, the McHenry Township Road District’s $600,000 17-member road crew does not plow your streets with its $200,000 Mac trucks.

Fact: Property taxes levied for the McHenry Township Road District, and all township road districts, are levied on both city and unincorporated area homeowners. City residents fund 80 percent of the cost of maintaining roads in township unincorporated subdivisions. These are the same people who write letters of support for townships. Note: 85 percent of McHenry Township Road District’s roads are subdivision roads. Foolishly, city residents are supporting roads in township unincorporated areas in addition to paying municipal taxes for the plowing of their residential streets.

Municipal residents, you would be wise to join the growing township consolidation movement. Support Rep. David McSweeney’s House Bill 4637.